Iím sure you all have a
best
friend. I want you to imagine for a moment that your best friend has
come to you and is very down. For the sake of convenience, letís say
itís a she. Perhaps she is not living up to her financial expectations,
maybe even lost a job or canít seem to get her business going. Or has
failed at relationships or has family problems. Or canít lose weight.
Or maybe she has hurt people unintentionally. This friend is really
down on herself. I would like to ask you Ė what would you do?

If
your best friend was down, you would console him or her and offer
unconditional love and support, wouldnít you? Why would you not do the
same for yourself? You are your own best friend, you know - for life.

Now I want you to give
yourself a great big Valentine hug. Come on, do it.

We
must learn to love ourselves unconditionally with all of our perceived
flaws. Realize that you are perfect in Spirit and you have the right to
love yourself just as you have the right to breathe the air and to
breathe in the abundance that is circulating in the Universe.

There
seem to be many paths, but the quickest, most complete, most permanent
path to self-esteem and self-love is recognition of the Divinity within
you. You are a spark of the Divine. Know it.

So...letís
discuss self-love and its effect on our lives. These are the thoughts
that came to mind, my own philosophy of self-love.

When
you love yourselfÖ

(1)
You are saluting the Divinity in you - that part of you, your true Self
that is whole, complete and perfect and awaits your recognition.

(2)
You are releasing powerful hormones that enhance your immune system to
produce physical health and well-being and mental clarity and joy.

(3)
You are aligning yourself with the natural rhythm of life - nature
always progresses onward and lifeward, ever seeking toward growth,
healing, improvement and betterment.

(4) You become a magnet
to attract the loving gifts of the Universe in every form - loving
relationships, money, success.

(5)
You become "filled" and "full" and thus are able to give of your
fullness to others. You add to the energy of others and nurture them.
You lift them up to a place of love. What greater gift can you give?
Without self love you are depleted. What can you give?

(6)
You don't "need" others to love you because "One with God is a
majority". You will naturally attract all of the love you could
possibly want. Your cup will be full. You won't need others to
"complete" you.

(7) You will be giving
your children a wonderful legacy and starting them on the path to
fulfilled lives.

(8) Whether you have a
dollar in your pocket or a million, life will be grand and filled with
promise and hope.

(9) And finally, you can
buy yourself a present on Valentine's day :-) The greater the self
love, the bigger the present.